BLACK HAIR AND THE ELEGANCE COMMUNITY

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In 2015 Maria Borges stunned the fashion community and the world as she strutted the Victoria secrets fashion runway with her natural locks, and that moment revolutionized the fashion world. More black female models embraced their natural hair and would appear on runways, photoshoots, and magazines, spotting their gorgeous hairstyles ranging from a worn-buzzed cut, Afros, cornrows, and braids.

https://www.thecut.com/2017/02/maria-borges-loreal-model.html

Many celebrities, from Lupita Nyong'o to Viola Davies, regularly rock their Afros in movies as well as award shows. The natural movement has been growing leaps and bounds as more black women embrace their curls. The move also birthed a multibillion-dollar industry as more beauty companies started making products specifically for black women's hair.

The natural hair movement, however, has not made waves within the elegant community. Many black women in this community still believe that to fit in with this community and to attract high-value men, one needs to straighten their hair and preferably wear weaves.

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The elegant community has always been a playground for white women, but, over the years, a lot of women of color, especially black women, have been joining the movement, and many of them found it hard to be able to express their black selves. Many adopted Eurocentric ideas and styles to fit in.

Societal standards have long perpetuated this. Much of our black experience has been to exist in a society where being "European" was deemed acceptable and straightening, and wearing wigs was a sign of being presentable.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/579345939534870386/ black 60

It is disheartening to watch women consider that braids are not elegant. Is it the style or color that is bothersome, or is it the idea of braids itself does not conjure elegance? There are individual styles that I do agree are more suited for Coachella than a charity dinner at the country club. Nevertheless, we should not cross all black hairstyles as not elegant.

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I do not write this to shame black women for the choice they make regarding how to take care of their hair best, but it's crucial to understand that the Eurocentric idea of what hair needs to look like should not be acceptable. Wearing one's natural hair is not only a symbol of black pride but also an acceptance of who we are as people.

Let us learn to embrace it.

“People act like Black girls are born with a little tube of relaxer & a note that says, ‘My bad.’- God.”

― Jermaine B

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